The Graham Album Review
#1927

When you talk about the fusion of
jazz and rock or jazz and pop, for
many people of a certain age, that evokes
electric jazz-rock fusion of the 1970s, or the so-called “smooth
jazz” scene that has given us so much elevator music. This week we
have a vocal album that is a cross between
jazz and pop, and manages to do it in a thoroughly tasteful and
appealing way. It’s the second release by singer-songwriter
and drummer, Jamison Ross
called All For One.

Jamison Ross is a native of
Jacksonville, Florida, and started his studies of jazz while in high
school, where his school ensemble was featured in a film called
“Chops” which won a documentary award at the Tribeca Film
Festival. The film was about the high school ensemble preparing to do
a performance
at Jazz at Lincoln Center. Ross the went on to college, getting his
B.A. in Jazz Studies at Florida State, and then moved to New Orleans
and got his masters at the
University of New Orleans. His instrument was the drums, and in 2012,
he won the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. That got
him a record contract, but Ross was looking to express himself as a
vocalist and songwriter, and his 2015 debut album called Jamison
was nominated for a Grammy Award in the jazz vocal category.

Now Ross is out with his second
release called All for One,
and although there is a fair amount of jazz influence on it, I would
consider it to be more of a soulful, hip singer-songwriter record.
Ross still plays the drums, but his appealing vocals are very much
front and center. While the majority of the material is original,
most of which he co-wrote with his guitarist Rick Lollar, there are
some interesting choices for cover tunes, which include an Allen
Toussaint composition,
and even one by Kurt Weill and Ira Gershwin.

Ross is joined by a regular band he
performs with, with Rick Lollar on guitar, Chris Pattishall on piano,
Cory Irvin on organ and other electric keyboards, Barry Stephenson on
bass, and Ross himself on the drums. Though the music can sound
electric and rocky at times, the instrumentation is mostly acoustic,
especially Stephenson’s bass. Often
the music has a distinctly New Orleans feel., and there’s some
Gospel influence in there as well.

The New Orleans flavor
is apparent from the start. The opening track is
a cover by the great New
Orleans songwriter and producer Allen ToussaintA
Mellow Good Time. The
title sums up the mood of the song, with its infectious NOLA groove,
played by Ross on the drums.
<<>>

The first of the original songs is
Unspoken
which is an easy-going soulful love ballad, and nicely highlights
Ross’ appealing tenor vocals. <<>>

The album contains a couple of
songs
from the jazz-standards book. One is Don’t
Go to Strangers, which
Ross and his band perform pretty much straight as a jazz ballad, with
Ross taking more soul-influenced approach to the vocals. <<>>

On other hand, the composition
called Away
with its acoustic guitar is more like a folk song. The song is an
apology to his kids for being away on the road so much. <<>>

Another of the highlights of the
album in terms of being
a song with wide appeal, is an original called Safe
in the Arms of Love. Ross’
vocal performance is
especially memorable, and
the positive lyrics are hard
not to relate to. <<>>

Somewhat more atmospheric in sound
is an original titled Tears
and Questions, which
shows another facet of Ross and his music. <<>>

Another of the covers on the album
is a great bluesy tune called All
for Me, by the
late Willie Tee of New
Orleans, who led the Wild Magnolias. <<>> The track gives
guitarist Rick Lollar a chance for a tasteful guitar solo. <<>>

One of the jazziest performances on
the album comes on Ross and company’s cover of the Mose Allison
standard Everybody Crying
Mercy, a song which has
been done in a lot of different styles. This version provides a new
spin on the song. <<>>

The album ends with cover by Tin
Pan Alley composers Gus Khan and Jimmy McHugh, Let’s
Sing Again, which Ross
gives a full Gospel
treatment
with the
organ providing the sole accompaniment. <<>>

Drummer, composer and vocalist
Jamison Ross’ new second album All for One
is an excellent crossover project that applies an appealing pop
sensibility and Ross’ easy-going soulful tenor vocals with a jazz
undercurrent.
Sometimes it comes close to a regular jazz singer doing standard
songs, and at others it’s an interesting and creative stylistic
blend. The arrangements are first-rate and very tasteful, never
slipping into the cliches of smooth jazz, while featuring largely
acoustic instrumentation in keeping with mainstream jazz. The album
has a nice mix of well-written original songs with covers, though
of less-frequently heard
material. Ross’ time in New Orleans is apparent through much of the
record with its approach to soul and the New Orleans grooves that are
frequently heard.

For it audio
quality, we’ll give the album close to an “A”. The sound is
warm and inviting, especially the acoustic bass, and Ross’ vocals
are captured with clarity
and honesty. Dynamic range, how
well the recording maintains the differences between the loud and
soft, could have been better, but that’s par for the course these
days.

Jamison Ross first distinguished himself as an award-winning jazz
drummer, but on his new release, reinforces his reputation as a great
singer-songwriter whose music can appeal to broad audiences.